It's a pity I neither
speak nor read French. Had I known the language better, had I the
ability to read it in the language it's originally written, perhaps I
could have enjoyed it better.
It doesn't mean that I
didn't enjoy it – I did. But the play is still a play, and it's
hard to translate a play no matter what language you want to
translate it into. I'm just hoping I don't miss much.
Cyrano de Bergerac is a
soldier, duelist, and poet. He's brave and skilled in words as well
as in sword. He somewhat reminds me of D'Artagnan, with the same
level of obstinacy and playfulness. He enters the stage dramatically,
starting only as a voice that demands one actor to descend. His
adventure doesn't end there. He then engages in a duel with Valvert,
and wins the game while composing a ballad. Hmm, charming. But the
great amazing thing is him fighting five scores of men to save his
friend, Lignière.
But that's not the main
plot. Cyrano is in love with his cousin, Roxane, a charming and
beautiful lady. But he has a problem. Cyrano thinks that he is ugly,
with an enormous nose on his face. He sure has the skill with words,
but he doesn't feel confident with his looks.
“Look well at
me--then tell me, with what hope This vile protuberance can inspire
my heart! I do not lull me with illusions--yet At times I'm weak: in
evening hours dim I enter some fair pleasance, perfumed sweet; With
my poor ugly devil of a nose I scent spring's essence--in the silver
rays I see some knight--a lady on his arm, And think 'To saunter thus
'neath the moonshine, I were fain to have my lady, too, beside!'
Thought soars to ecstasy. . .O sudden fall! --The shadow of my
profile on the wall!”
Meanwhile, Roxane
confesses to him that she's in love with a handsome soldier,
Christian. Christian is exactly Cyrano's opposite – good-looking
but not a good speaker.
Instead of begrudging
Roxane's love or challenging Christian in a duel, Cyrano chooses to
join forces with him. Cyrano expresses his love in words to Roxane
while making her believe that it's actually Christian.
“Roxane shall never
have a disillusion! Say, wilt thou that we woo her, double-handed?
Wilt thou that we two woo her, both together? Feel'st thou, passing
from my leather doublet, Through thy laced doublet, all my soul
inspiring?...Will you complete me, and let me complete you? You march
victorious,--I go in your shadow; Let me be wit for you, be you my
beauty!”
Well, Cyrano might be
wrong. Perhaps it's not always the outward look that matters. Perhaps
he's not that ugly at all. Perhaps Love is sometimes blind. And
perhaps, his love is not at all unrequited. But perhaps, Fate uses
the phrase “too late” too much.
I like the play, though
I prefer to read it in its original language. I like the hero too.
Cyrano reminds me of the Three Musketeers plus D'Artagnan. There are
duels, battle, valour, honour, fun, and a lot of nice things in the
play. Although the play is not a comedy, it's not dark as well.
Historical Facts and Background:
- Cyrano de Bergerac was a real person, though the love story is entirely fictional
- The play is set in 17th Century France, and the battle involved is a part of Thirty Years' War between France and Spain.
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